Fire-escape



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' G. L. SILLIMAN.

PIRE ESGAPE. N0. 530,860.

Patented Dec. '11, 1894.

PATENT A OFFICE.

GEORGE L..SILLIMAN, OF RUTLAND, VERMONT.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 530,860, dated December 11, 1894. Application tiled October 2, 1894. Serial No. 524,732. (No model.)

To al@ whom it may concern,.-

Be 1t known that I, GEORGE L. SILLIMAN, a

citizen of the United States of America, resid-V ing at Rutland, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lire escapes, and the object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which, in case of fire, a rope can be placed in proximity to every window of the building without a moments delay.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a building with the escape applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, and Fig. 3 isa plan view of the roof.

Referring by numerals to the drawings the building 4 is provided upon the roof with a l shaft or drum 5 extending parallel to the side of ropes 6 and 6iL upon which the series of ropes are to be placed in proximity to the windows. In the present drawings I have shown the shaft 5 placed centrally between the front and rear walls of the building whereby it is adapted to place ropes both in front and rear of the building simultaneously, as hereinafter described.

To the drum or shaft 5 I attach a plurality extending toward the front and rear of the building and corresponding in number to the number of windows on each floor of the building, the object being to locate a rope in proximity to every Window of the building. The ropes extend from the shaft 5 over a suitable anti-friction roller or bearing 7 on the edge of the roof, and are long enough to reach to the ground when entirely unwound from the shaft. Each rope carries upon its end a weight 8, which causes it vto keep ina vertical line and pay out over the rollers as the shaft is revolved to unwind the ropes.

The shaft may be revolved by any suitable means such, for instance, as a drum or wheel 9 mounted upon the shaft over which passes a rope extending down into the building to the office or other convenient or desriable point from whence the shaft may be operated.

In order to protect the shaft and ropes from the action of the weather and keep them covered, thus preventing the parts from marring the appearance of the building I pass each rope as it leaves the shaft, through a suitable guide or pulley 10 and through a suitable channel ll or covered way to the front of the building where it passes over the anti-friction roller as before stated, this roller being placed somewhat beyond the edge of the building so that the ropes will be swung clear of the face of the building in their descent.

The shaft or drum is preferably covered by an inclosiug cap l2 as shown in the drawings which may beV designed to give an ornamental and finished appearance to the building.

It will be understood that While I have shown the ropes as adapted to be lowered in front and rear of the building these front and rear sides are merely representative of any of the sides of the building as similar shafts or drums and ropes may be provided for all sides where windows occur.

It will thus be seen. that l provide an apparatus which is completely concealed from view, and the ropes, coiled upon the shaft or drum, are always ready to be lowered from the interior of the building at a moments' notice, to place'a rope in proximity to every window of the building. Further than this, as all the parts of the apparatus, when not in use, are located at the top of the building, and are controlled from within, the device is not accessible to thieves.

In order to prevent the ropes from dropping to the ground in case of lire coming through the roof and burning the shaft I find it desirable to use chains or wires from the shaft to the'placewhere the ropes extend over the edge of the roof or through the cornice, and provide knobs or projections of metal on the chains or wire ropes which will engage with the edges of the openings through which the ropes pass, and by this l means the ropes will be securely held even though the shaft should be totally destroyed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is Y In combination with a building, a drum journaled centrally upon the top thereof, the

IOO

` series of ropes Wound upon the drum and pass- In testimony whereof I aix my signature in ing to fixe frnt and rear of the luilding over presence of two witnesses. suitab e gui e pulleys, a casing or the drum, T :L Series of covered guide Ways for the ropes GEO L' SILLIMAB' 5 extending from the said casing to the front lVitnesses:

and rear of the building and means for oper- AVERY D. BILLINGS, ating the drum, substantially as described. EDWARD DANA. 

